Molly Ringwald Was In A Forgotten TV Movie Rom-Com With Friends Star David Schwimmer

Molly Ringwald was catapulted to stardom at a young age thanks to her leading roles in some classic John Hughes films, but not every part can be as timeless as Sam Baker from "Sixteen Candles" or Claire Standish from "The Breakfast Club." In 1998, Ringwald appeared in a TV movie starring David Schwimmer, who also helmed the film in his directorial debut (Schwimmer would go on to become the only "Friends" cast member to direct an episode of the sitcom). It's called "Since You've Been Gone," and it's been pretty much forgotten about these days.

The romantic comedy takes place against a backdrop of a high school reunion and features a parade of peculiar former classmates. Ringwald played the role of Claire, a superfan of self-help author Holly Petuto (Heidi Stillman). Holly attends the reunion with her clumsy best friend Electra Pollack (Laura Eason), who is searching for a husband. Ringwald's character goes total fangirl when she sees Holly, saying, "Oh my God, it is you!" It's a minor role that even big fans of the actress may not know about.

David Schwimmer will probably always be best known for playing Ross Geller on "Friends," one of the most iconic sitcoms of the 1990s. However, that may not have been the case if it weren't for "Since You've Been Gone," as he turned down what would have likely been a career-changing role to do the rom-com: Agent J in "Men in Black." That's right – Schwimmer was offered the lead role in Barry Sonnenfeld's sci-fi action comedy, which ultimately went to Will Smith. The movie became a huge hit, leaving Schwimmer to wonder what might have been.

When he appeared on the "Origins With Cush Jumbo" podcast in September 2024, Schwimmer revealed that he turned down "Men in Black" out of loyalty to his friends from his theater company — they had all quit their jobs so they could make "Since You've Been Gone" with him. "We're in pre-production, hired the whole crew, everything's going, and that's when I was offered 'Men in Black.' It was a direct conflict," Schwimmer said. "If you look at the success of that film and that franchise, my career would have taken a very different trajectory."